Locking device for milk-bottles and other objects.



L. E. HERRON. LOOKING DEVICE FOR MILK BOTTLES AND OTHER OBJECTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1909.

Patented July 11, 1911.

WITNESSES PMMAJM, M 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c.-

Fig. 2.

UTTED TATF PATENT @FFTQE.

LAWRENCE E.

HERB-ON, 0F PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR MILK-BOTTLES AND OTHER OBJECTS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAW'RENCE E. HnnnoN, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Looking Devices for Milk- Bottles and other Objects, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan view of a device embodying my invention Fig. 2 is a side view of the same; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view on a larger scale with a portion of the casing broken away and Fig. 4 is a detail plan view showing the released position of the locking members, said members being shown in locking position in Fig. 3.

My invention has relation to a locking device of novel character, which has been more especially designed for the purpose of holding and locking filled milk bottles when left at residences by the milk-man and prevent their being taken by theft; but the invention may be readily adapted to securing other objects, such as canes, umbrellas, and the like.

My invention also provides a device of this character in which the bottle or other object can be easily and readily inserted in the lock or holder and automatically secured therein without the use of a key, so that no extra labor or time is required in securing the article.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which I have shown the preferred embodiment thereof, and which will now be described, it being premised, however, that various changes can be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings the numeral 2 designates the frame of the device which may be of various forms according to the location where the device is to be placed and the particular use for which it is intended. As shown in the drawings, itmay conveniently consist of an angle bracket which can be readily attached by its vertical arm to any suitable support, such as indicated at 3 in The horizontal arm of the frame is provided with the cutaway portion or open ing 4 which is of a sufiicient size to admit Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 24, 1909.

Patented July fit, 1911.

Serial No. 485,417.

the article to be secured, in the particular form shown, the neck of a milk bottle 6 designates a latch member which is pivoted to the frame at 7, and to which is pivotally attached at 8 a lock member 9. The latch member 6 is of curved segmental form and is pivoted near one edge of the opening 4, so that when in the position shown in Fig. 3, it will embrace a sufficient portion of the circumference of the neck of the bottle 5 to prevent the latter from being removed. The lock member 9 is also of curved segmental form being arranged to form substantially a continuation of the concave edge of the member 6 when the parts are in looking position. The rear edge of the member 9 is provided with the locking recess 10 adapted to be engaged by a lock member or bolt 11 which is pivoted at 12 and which is acted upon by a spring 13 which normally tends to hold such member in the locking position, shown in Fig. 3 in which its nose 14 engages the recess 10. The locking member 12 is preferably suitably inclosed within the frame 2, so as to prevent its being tampered with, and the top of the frame is provided with the key hole 15 through which a key may be inserted to release the lock.

16 is a clip or holder which is secured to one side of the frame 2 in any suitable manner for the purpose of receiving and holding the empty bottle.

The operation of the device is as follows: The device being permanently secured to a suitable support, at the place where milk is customarily delivered, the milk-man in delivering a bottle of milk inserts the neck portion of thebottle in the opening 4, the latch and locking members being in substantially the position shown in Fig. 4. The engagement of the bottle with the lock member 9 and the inner end of the latch member 6 forces said member backwardly into the position shown in Fig. 3, the bottle being engaged by the members 6, 9, and the one side of the wall of the opening in the support 2. As soon as the member 9 is thrown to the position shown in Fig. 3, the bolt 11 engages with the locking recess 10 and the bottle is permanently secured in position and locked therein. At the same time the milkman leaves and locks the filled bottle in this manner he can remove the empty bottle which has been placed by the housekeeper in the clip 16.

The device above described is extremely simple in its construction and operation; itcan be manufactured and sold at a low cost; it requires no extra time and labor on the part of the milk-man in delivering milk, no key being required or manipulation of mechanism being necessary, the key remaining in the possession of the housekeeper.

It will be readily understood that the latch member (3 and the opening t can be made of various forms to adapt the device to locking other articles, such as'canes, umbrellas and the like. Other changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement. The latch and lock members may be of different forms; the form of the frame may be changed and any suitable locking bolt may be used. It will also be obvious that the frame 2 may be provided with a plurality of locking devices so that more than one bottle may be locked in position. lVhere the device is used for locking other articles, such as canes, umbrellas and the like, a series of the locking devices either on one frame or on separate frames may be arranged side by side.

What I claim is:

1. A locking device of the character described comprising a support having an opening to receive the article to be locked, a latch member pivoted to the support, a looking member pivoted to the latch member, and a spring pressed bolt having a locking connection with the locking member, the ar rangement being such that the locking member is free to move and will not be locked by the bolt except when in contact with the article to be locked; substantially as described.

2. A locking device of the character described comprising a suitable frame having an opening therein for the article to be locked, a segmental latch member pivoted to one side of the opening, a segmental locking member pivoted to the latch member and supported wholly thereby, and locking means for the locking member; substantially as described.

3. In a locking device of the character described, a frame having an opening therein for the article to be looked, a curved latch member pivoted to the frame of one side of the opening and adapted to embrace a portion of the article to be locked, a segmental locking member connected with the latch member and normally projecting into the opening in position for contact with the article to be locked, and arranged to be locked from movement only when the article to be locked is in the opening in the frame; substantially as described.

4:. A locking device of the character described comprising a support having an opening to receive the articles to be looked, a latch member pivoted to the support, a locking member pivoted to the latch member and supported wholly thereby, and a spring pressed bolt having a locking connection with the locking member, the bottle being locked between one portion of the wall of the opening in the support, the latch member and the locking member, the arrangement being such that the looking member is free to move and will not be locked by the bolt except when in contact with the article to be locked; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set myhand.

L. E. HERRON. Witnesses:

GEO. H. PARMELEE, H. M. CORWIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

